ft bundle into the room.

"That's your sort," whispered Bunny. "If I tried to clamber in with
that on it would have ketched."

The next moment he was gliding in over the window-sill, slowly and
softly like a huge black slug, and ended by seating himself cross-legged
on the floor.

"Anybody hear me if I talk?"

"No, but speak low," whispered Waller, while Godfrey's breath was quite
audible as he breathed hard in his excitement. "We were beginning to
think that you did not mean to come."

"What call had you got to think that?" grumbled the man in a hoarse
whisper. "I went directly.--How are you, young gentleman?--My
brother-in-law Jem had gone to sea, and I had to wait; and here I am
now, large as life and twiced as ugly."

"But has your brother-in-law come back?"

"Oh, ay, he's got back."

"And will he take my friend across to Cherbourg?"

"Oh, I have been having a long fight with him about that, sir. He's got
a nasty disposition, he has. I telled him that I'd give him a good
price for doing the job, and that I'd go as far as three pounds."

"What!" cried Waller. "I told you five."

"To be sure you did, sir, but I warn't going to let him have all his own
way, so I said three, meaning, if he argufied very much, to spring
another pound and make it four. But he wouldn't. He stuck out for the
five, and I had to promise him."

"Oh, but you shouldn't have wasted time over that, Bunny."

"Don't you tell me, Master Waller. I know brother Jem better than you
do. He's a close-fisted one, brother Jem is, and he always takes care
that them as buys his fish to sell ashore shan't have too much profit.
Why, if I had offered him five pound right off he'd have held out for
six. But don't you get wasting time talking. There aren't none to
lose."

"No time to lose? What do you mean?" said Waller.

"Ah, you don't know, then? The soldiers is coming here to-night."

"To-night! Nonsense!" cried Waller. "They have gone right away--to
Chichester, I think."

"Maybe they went, sir, but it warn't to Chichester; it was to
Christchurch; and Tony Gusset got hold of something, and he's gone after
them, and some one I know telled me they were coming here to-night, and
don't mean to be put off this time."

"Then I must go at once," cried Godfrey excitedly.

"That's right, sir," said Bunny. "I brought you some things as will
make you look like a fisher-lad when I have done with you. Can you slip
them on in the da